Emily Calandrelli has slammed all the sexist trolls who belittled a momentous event for her in space. A video of the Netflix and YouTube host cum MIT engineer shedding a tear as she looks over at the Earth from her Blue Origin flight in space is going viral, and the video has since drawn misogynistic comments.
Calandrelli, also known as the "Space Gal," became the 100th woman to ever go to space. She took to Instagram on November 24 to share that her 10-minute emotional video was taken down "across all platforms" following a litany of lewd comments. Calandrelli was one of six civilians to head to space from the company's site in Texas on November 22.
Emily Calandrelli becomes the 100th woman in space, notes that the joy is "tattooed in her heart"
Read Emily Calandrelli's post below:
"This all happened as I was flying home after experiencing the most perfect, wonderful dream-achieving experience of my life. And instead of being on cloud nine, I’m crying in my seat staring out the window. Because of course this happened. Of course I should have expected this. I spent the flight texting my space sisters for advice. To share anger and sadness and to receive validation that I have nothing to be embarrassed of. I had to take a moment to feminism myself if I’m being quite honest."
Her post went on:
"But I refuse to give much time to the small men on the internet. I feel experiences in my soul. It’s a trait I got from my father. We feel every emotion deeply and what a beautiful way that is to experience life. This joy is tattooed on my heart. I will not apologize or feel weird about my reaction. It’s wholly mine and I love it. When I can, I’ll reshare it myself with all of you."
She concluded her post by revealing that as she was leaving the flight, one of the Southwest stewardesses recognized her and uttered a phrase of empowerment: "Don't let them dull your shine." She penned that she "felt an immediate sense of camaraderie with her, with all women." She signed off with love to all.
The following day, Emily Calandrelli uploaded the clip in question on Instagram, which boasts over 881,000 followers. She can be seen gazing out the window with the Earth overhead, visibly stricken with awe. She says in the video:
"That’s our planet. Oh my God, that’s space. I’m here. I did it. We are in space right now. Oh my goodness.”
In her caption, she penned a vote of thanks to Blue Origin:
"Our planet 🥺 I left her. I saw her," she wrote. "A dream decades in the making. The only thing I can compare it to was holding my babies for the first time after they were born. Like knowing someone for a long time, loving someone for a while, but seeing them with your own eyes for the very first time. It hit me in the soul and is tattooed on my heart forever. How lucky I am to be one of 100 women to experience this view. I don’t take it for granted and I plan to share this awe with as many as I can."
As for the reactions online, users have been flooding Emily Calandrelli's comments with love and support, with many noting that they would have reacted the exact same way she did in such a moment.
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Blue Origin has yet to respond to the issue. In an interview with CNN, Emily Calandrelli said that the best part of sending women to space is that they “get to describe it in a way that moms can understand, that women can understand."
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